


A Christmas Carol for the Master

by elisi



Series: Not the Last [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Doctor Who AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-20
Updated: 2007-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-08 23:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/448578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisi/pseuds/elisi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between chapter 4 and 5 of 'Not the Last'. Because just sometimes, Christmas miracles do happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Christmas Carol for the Master

_Christmas 2011_

...

“No he can’t!”

“Yes he can!”

“No he can’t! _No_ one can do that!”

“But he _can_! It’s true!”

“No he _can’t_! You’re a liar Alexander Saxon, and I’m telling my dad!”

“I am _not_ a liar-”

Neil Gregman buried his head in his hands as a rush of loud footsteps came closer and closer, before the door to his study burst open, and he was faced with three indignant 4-year-olds.

 _'Well',_ his wife had said before going out, _'it’s either watching them - since we promised Matthew that he could have his school friends over - or doing the last of the Christmas shopping! And anyway... you used to be a children’s entertainer! If they get bored you can just make them some balloon animals!'_

He hated how she always brought up that last point. Plenty of students worked the kiddie party circuit to pay their way through uni, and he’d really only been in it for the money - always wanting more out of life, as his subsequent career as a TV executive proved.

With a sinking heart he looked at the angry eyes and determined faces, and had a feeling that balloon animals wouldn’t work at all.

“OK boys,” he began, voice as calm and reasonable as he could make it. “What’s the matter?”

“ _Alex_ says,” Matt immediately began, “that his uncle can make it snow. But no one can do that, can they Daddy?”

“But-” Alex tried, before Josh butted in. “Snow depends on the weather con-conditions, and the right temperarture and... _things_... An’ I know that because I saw a proper TV programme about the climate!”

“But my uncle _can_ make it snow! He’s made it snow _every_ Christmas Day for the past... lots of years.” Alex said, clearly not prepared to give an inch.

“How?” Matt demanded, and Alex bit his lip, suddenly looking unsure, eyes travelling over the walls of the study before settling back on Matt’s face.

“It’s a secret!” he finally replied, with as much dignity as his four-and-three-quarter years could give him, and Neil had to fight very hard to keep a straight face. Oh the things you could get kids to believe - even kids as bright as these.

Looking at Alexander’s resolute little face, he was again somewhat astonished that his son had struck up a friendship with Harold Saxon’s son... not that Matt knew anything specific about the ex-Prime Minister, of course, except that he was in prison. But Neil could still clearly remember the sheer unreality of the situation as he'd sat in front of the TV and watched the American President dissolve into shiny glitter and Mr Saxon laughing his head off... He still felt somewhat upset about it, since he’d liked Saxon more than any other politician he’d ever seen. Shame he’d been bat-shit crazy.

Thinking about it, it was no wonder that the child’s uncle probably tried to overcompensate a little, given the circumstances.

“I _still_ don’t believe you!” Matt said, and Neil saw anger flare up anew in Alex’s eyes: “Well I’ll ask him to make it snow Christmas _Eve_ this year. Just wait!”

Josh and Matt looked back, wholly unconvinced, and Neil shook his head. The kid’s uncle would have a job getting out of that one if the weather didn’t behave. Anyway - better intervene.

“Now, now, boys, there’s no need to argue. Who knows - maybe Alex’s uncle _does_ have a few tricks up his sleeve. Although I doubt he can do _this_!”

With a flick of the wrist and an added flourish, he pulled a penny out of Josh’s ear.

Three little faces suddenly registered nothing except awe, as they stared at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

Grinning Neil then made the coin vanish into thin air, before making it reappear in Alex’s shirt pocket.

A few minutes later he was making balloon animals after all, suddenly remembering why this had been such a fun way to earn a living.

***

  


Christmas Eve, and peace had finally settled over the Saxon household. They had all - the Doctor, the Master, Lucy and Alex - watched ‘Scrooged’ , which had entailed extending Alex’s bedtime somewhat, and when the film had finished the boy had been in a very silly, over-tired mood, refusing to go to bed. If not reminded of the link between Santa’s visist and good behaviour, he would probably have continued into a full tantrum. Thankfully however he’d abruptly acquiesced and let Lucy take him away to get ready for bed.

Turning on the radio and tuning it until Christmas carols quietly filled the room, the Doctor looked over at the Master, now ensconced in his favourite armchair by the glowing fire, book in hand; as usual looking as self-contained and imperturbable as a cat. Then Alex and Lucy re-appeared, the boy now dressed in his favourite Star Wars pajamas, and half-asleep already.

“Now say goodnight and I’ll tuck you in,” Lucy said, and after giving his father a hug, Alex came over to the Doctor. But as his little arms folded around him, the Doctor could suddenly feel the boy going rigid.

“What is it?” he asked, and Alex stared up at him, wide-eyed.

“Uncle! You have to make it snow! Right now!”

“What? _Now?_ But you’re going to bed - wait ‘till tomorrow.”

“But you _have_ to! I told Matt and Josh that you could make it snow and they didn’t believe me and then I said you’d make it snow on Christmas _Eve_ and if you don’t they’ll think I’m a liar and did I tell you that Matt’s dad can do magic and make coins appear and disappear? ‘Cause he can! Honestly it’s true!”

Trying to sort through the barrage of information, the Doctor settled on the most important fact. “You _told_ them? Alex, remember what we said?”

“But I didn’t tell them _how_ or anything! Really truly I didn’t. But they called me a liar and I’m not and please please please Uncle make it snow? _Pleeeeeeeease?”_

The Doctor looked out of the window at the cold, wet darkness, and shivered involuntarily. Why had he let slip about the snow? Not that the once-a-year show could impact on the climate in any way, but the boy oughtn’t take these things for granted...

Then the Master spoke, briefly glancing up from his book and smirking. “Come now Doctor, surely you don’t want to disappoint the child?”

The Doctor looked from Alex’s hopeful, pleading eyes to the Master’s mocking countenance and sighed. At least the TARDIS wasn’t parked very far away...

***

  


As the Doctor closed the door behind him, Lucy walked over to her husband, waiting for him to lower the book and look up before she spoke. “Would you like some Christmas cake dear? And maybe some tea?”

“Hmm... the cake bit sounds good. Maybe some whiskey to go with it?”

“Of course.”

She smiled and walked out of the room, knowing full well that his eyes would be following her. Oh she looked so very pretty in red... But it wasn’t her body that he loved, although it certainly gave him plenty of pleasure - it was the fact that she was _his_ , all his, and would _do_ anything, _be_ anything, he wanted. The only person in the entire universe who was truly obedient to him now. A small, but dearly treasured relief in his nightmarish prison.

Did the Doctor realise just how much the Master abhorred the pleasant, suburban life Lucy and Alex had been given? Probably not - the Doctor wasn’t that perverse. Once a month the Master was allowed to visit his wife, but the happy, ‘normal’ life all around was almost enough to make him run back to the TARDIS screaming. Not that he didn’t admire human culture in its own way - their endless ingenuity and inventiveness impressed him as much as it did the Doctor - but he couldn’t just stand back and enjoy it, a spectator to the show. No, he was forever driven forward, forever hearing the drums calling, calling, calling... calling to war.

A war he had _lost_.

He looked around the cosy sitting room, with its picture book fireplace (complete with Christmas stocking); the plush three piece suite; the shelves filled with books, ornaments and family photos; the Christmas tree twinkling with lights and decorations - and he could happily have set fire to the whole thing, even burning up with it. The only thing stopping him of course being the boy...

He was standing by the window, craning his neck to look up at the sky, and studying him the Master could feel the familiar anger surging at this cripped half-life they were forced to endure. His son, a marvel of marvels - the last of the Timelords - having to live so hidden and curtailed that he had no ambitions beyond trying to impress two human children. By rights whole galaxies should be bowing down to him by now; every species know that the splendour and might of Gallifrey lived on-

Then Alex suddenly called out:

“Daddy! Daddy! Come!”

As always unable to deny his son anything, the Master got up and obediently looked out as the black sky was suddenly filled with white snowflakes, softly whirling and chasing each other. The room behind them was reflected in the window, so it seemed as if the darkness was illuminated with brightly coloured lights, lending the view a fairytale quality.

“Isn’t it _amazing_ Daddy?”

The Master turned his head to look at his son, a platitude on his lips... And then somehow - unaccountably - as he looked into the boy’s happy, bright eyes, the drums slowed down to a soft, calm cadence.

The Christmas Carol playing in the background wove into the gentle beat, and a strange, unfamiliar feeling of peace settled over him. Putting his arm around the child’s slender shoulders, the Master smiled back warmly.

“Yes it is... Merry Christmas son.”

And the clear, soaring human voices filled the room, singing of miracles from long ago.

 

  


_Lo, how a rose e'er blooming...  
It came, a floweret bright,  
Amid the cold of winter  
When half spent was the night_

The End

**Author's Note:**

> You can find the lyrics for the carol [here](http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/lo_how_a_rose_eer_blooming1.htm), and if you want to hear it sung, you can d/l it [here](http://www.assumption.edu/chapelchoir/audio/rejoice/how_a_rose.html) (requires Quick Time). )


End file.
